MOUNT OLIVE, NC - The wins keep piling up for Lenoir-Rhyne Volleyball, as they took down Concord and Mount Olive on Saturday to move to 7-0 on the young season. This marks the best start for the Bears since 2018.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP - GAME ONE:
Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 3, Concord 0 (25-22, 25-19, 25-22)
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (6-0, 1-0 SAC), Concord (0-6, 0-0 MEC)
Location: Kornegay Arena, Mount Olive, NC
STATS OF THE MATCH:
- Back-and-forth to start the opening set, a Kathy Pater and Kayli Cleaver block ignited a 7-1 run, putting the Bears up 18-11.
- Kills by Cleaver, Jenna Vogen, and Averie Dale late sealed a 25-22 set victory.
- Big blocks from Averie Dale and Taylor Osborne gave LR a 25-19 second set win.
- Tied at 21-21 in the third set, the Bears scored four of the game's final five points to take the 3-0 victory.
- Kaylie Cleaver (13) and Jenna Vogen (10) each notched double-digit kills.
- Sydney Karjala (23) and Rachel Wildermuth (13) led the team in assists.
- Four Bears finished with double-digit digs.
- Kathy Peter and Averie Dale combined for 11 blocks.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- As a team, LR's 11 total blocks was a season high.
- Averie Dale lead the SAC in blocks/set (1.28).
- The Bear's only had 10 hitting errors, their second lowest all season.
- This was the first matchup between the two schools since 1995.
- The Bears hold a 6-3 advantage over the Mountain Lions.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP - GAME TWO:
Final: Lenoir-Rhyne 3, Mount Olive 1 (25-19, 20-25, 25-23, 25-11)
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (7-0, 1-0 SAC), Mount Olive (1-3, 0-0 Conference Carolinas)
Location: Kornegay Arena, Mount Olive, NC
STATS OF THE MATCH:
- Down 16-12, LR closed the opening set on a 13-3 run to go up 1-0.
- The Trojans held on to an early lead to take the second set 25-20.
- Mount Olive mounted a big comeback to take a 23-22 lead on the Baers in set two.
- A clutch kill from Kayli Cleaver and ace from Ella Wimsatt gave LR the 25-23 set victory.
- The Bears opened set four on an 11-3 run and didn't look back, taking the set 25-11.
- A balanced effort, only Kayli Cleaver (12) notched double-digit kills.
- Sydney Karjala and Rachel Wildermuth combined for 36 assists.
- Kathy Peter led with six blocks.
- As a team, the Bears outhit the Trojans .270 to .147.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE:
- Karjala and Wildermuth have had double-digit assists in every game this season.
- Lenoir-Rhyne has lost just four sets all season.
- The Bears now lead the all-time series over Mount Olive 10-0.
UP NEXT: LR will be back in action at Mount Olive tomorrow when they take on Edinboro (PA) at 10 a.m. and Shaw at 2 p.m.